I thought this thing was dead and buried yesterday on two different occasions, then woke up to an ESPN story this morning titled “Elton Brand apologized to Magic Johnson for insinuating Lakers’ Ben Simmons call was unprompted”

Rewinding to Sunday afternoon, it was Johnson, the Lakers President of Basketball Operations, who revealed that Ben Simmons had expressed interest in working with him at some point in the summer. Simmons was reportedly interested in training with a Hall of Fame point guard who handled the ball at a similar 6’10” height during his heyday.

On Monday, Brand went on 97.5 the Fanatic and revealed that he was asked to authorize a future meeting, but said no. Later in the day, ESPN revealed that the NBA league office would be looking into the situation, to see if there was any contact made between the Lakers and Simmons that would have violated league rules.

This morning, Ramona Shelburne writes the following, after the jump:

Philadelphia 76ers general manager Elton Brand called Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson on Monday afternoon to apologize for insinuating in a radio interview that the Lakers had called — unprompted — to ask permission for Johnson to speak with Sixers forward Ben Simmons, league sources told ESPN.

In the interview with 97.5 The Fanatic on Monday morning, Brand said, “[Lakers GM] Rob Pelinka called me and said that Ben wanted to talk to Hall of Famers after the season; Magic was on the list. He asked for authorization … I said no.”

Brand did not mention in that interview that someone from the Sixers, at the urging of one of Simmons’ brothers, had contacted Pelinka first, which is what prompted Pelinka’s call to Brand.

The Lakers issued a statement later Monday that read: “To clarify, last November the 76ers sent an email to the Lakers asking if Ben Simmons would be able to speak with Magic Johnson about his Hall of Fame playing career. After receiving the email request from the 76ers, Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka contacted 76ers General Manager Elton Brand and informed him that Magic could only do so if the 76ers gave him pre-written approval. That was the end of the matter.

“That was the end of the matter.”

And with that, the matter is resolved.